• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.38 no.11 s.256
• /
• pp.761-772
• /
• 2005

Background: Following the implantation of heart valve prostheses, it is important to maintain therapeutic INR to reduce the risk of thromboembolism. The objective of this study was to suggest a practical dosing guideline for Korean outpatients with prosthetic heart valves managed by a pharmacist-run anticoagulation service (ACS). Material and Method: A retrospective chart review was completed for all patients enrolled in the ACS at Seoul National University Hospital from March, 1997 to September, 2000. Patients who were at least 6 months post-valve replacement and had nontherapeutic INR value (less than 2.0 or greater than 3.0) were included. The data on 688 patients (1,782 visits) requiring dosing adjustment without any known drug or food interaction with warfarin were analyzed. The amount of adjusted dose and INR changes based on the INR at the time of the event were calculated. Aortic valve replacements (AVR) patients and mitral or double valve replacement (MVR/DVR) patients were evaluated separately. Result: Two methods for the warfarin dosage adjustment were suggested: Guideline I (mg-based total weekly dose (TWD) adjustment), Guideline II (percentage-based TWD adjustment). The effectiveness of Guideline 1 was superior to Guideline II overall in patients with both AVR and MVR/DVR. Conclusion: The guideline suggested in this study could be useful when the dosage adjustment of wafarin is necessary in outpatients with mechanical heart valves.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 1982

Quantification of the regurgitation amount is important before and after valvular replacement surgery. Until now cardiac catheterization with cineventriculography, echocardiography have been used to measure the regurgitation amount, but also have many limitations. EKG gated cardiac blood pool scan provides a simple, non-invasive -method for quantify the regurgitation amount. By calculating the ratio of left ventricular to right ventricular stroke counts (stroke volume ratio) in gated bood pool scan, we measured the left ventricular regurgitation amount in 28 cases of valvular regurgitation and 25 cases of normal group. 1. Stroke volume ratio was higher in cases of valvular regurgitation $(2.11{\pm}0.58)$ than in cases of normal control $(1.15{\pm}0.31)$. (p<0.01). 2. Stroke volume ratio was classified by regurgitation grade using X-ray cineventriculography. In grades of mild regurgitation $(Grade\;I{\sim}II)$, stroke volume ratio was $2.02{\pm}0.29$, and in grades of severe regurgitation $(Grade\;III{\sim}IV)$, stroke volume ratio was $2.55{\pm}0.34$, so stroke volume ratio was well correlated with the grade of X-ray cineventriculography. 3. Stroke volume ratio was classfied by functional class made in New York Heart Association. In classes of mild regurgitation $(class\;I{\sim}II)$, stroke volume ratio was $2.08{\pm}0.26$, and in classes of severe regurgitation $(class\;III{\sim}IV)$, stroke volume ratio was $2.55{\pm}0.38$, Stroke volume ratio well represented the functional class. 4. After aortic and mitral valve replacement in 28 patients, the stroke volume ratio, decreased from $2.11{\pm}0.58\;to\;1.06{\pm}0.26$. Gated blood pool scan provides a noninvasive method of qnantifying valvular regurgitation and assessing the result of surgical interventions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.9
• /
• pp.768-773
• /
• 2004

Failure of mitral valve repair sometimes may be ascribed to severe or progressive alteration of the subvalvar apparatus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of new chordae formation on mitral repair. Material and Method: From March 1997 to february 1999, 26 patients underwent mitral valve repairs with new chordae formation, we compared the symptoms and echocardiographic findings checked at preoperative state, and intraoperative period, discharge, and their last OPD visit. There were 45 male, and 11 female patients, and their mean age was 51.2$\pm$43.4 years. Etiology of the lesions was degenerative (18), rheumatic (6), infective (1) and ischemic (1). Chordal lesions were caused by rupture (18), elongation (6), and a combination of two causes (2). Associated lesions included atrial septal defect (2), tricuspid insufficiency (7), aortic insufficiency(4), and a combination of previous two factors (2). The number of mean artificial chordae was 3.6$\pm$1.6. Annuloplasty was per-formed in all cases. The CPB time was 182,1$\pm$63.7 minutes and the ACC time was 133.1$\pm$45.6 minutes. Aver-age follow up period was 49.2$\pm$7.1 months. Result: There was no early death. Early reoperation was performed in bud patients, one patient received mitral valve replacement because of an abnormality of annuloplasty and ano-ther received pericardiostomy due to postoperative pericardial effusion. During the follow up of 49.2$\pm$7.1 moths, there was no late mortality. Postoperative NYHA functional class checked at last OPD visit was class I in 22 patients (88%), class II in 2 (8%), and class III in 1 (4%). Regarding the late echocardiogram MR was absent in 20 patients (78%), 1 in 4 (15%), and II in 1 (4%). The postrepair mitral valve area was 2.2$\pm$0.35 $\textrm{cm}^2$ Conclusion: This study suggests that mitral valve repair using new chordae formation provides good early and mid term survivals and functional improvement. We think that the artificial chorda formation with polytetrafluoroethylene suture might be safe and effective technique for mitral valve repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.344-349
• /
• 2014

Background: The Damus-Kaye-Stansel (DKS) procedure is a method for mitigating the risk of systemic ventricular outflow tract obstruction (SVOTO). However, there have been few reports on which surgical technique shows a better outcome. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of the DKS procedure according to the surgical technique used. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 12 consecutive patients who underwent the DKS procedure from March 2004 to April 2013. When the relationship of the great arteries was anterior-posterior, the double-barrel technique (group A) was performed. If the relationship was side-by-side, the ascending aortic flap technique (group B) was performed. Results: There was no early mortality and 1 late mortality in group B. There was no statistically significant difference in the median peak pressure gradient of preoperative subaortic stenosis in both groups: 14 mmHg (range, 4 to 53 mmHg) in group A and 15 mmHg (range, 0 to 30 mmHg) in group B (p=0.526). Further, a significant postoperative pressure gradient was not observed in either group A or group B. More than moderate postoperative neoaortic regurgitation was observed in 1 patient of group B; this patient underwent neoaortic valve replacement 66 months after the DKS procedure. No one had a recurrent SVOTO during follow-up. Conclusion: The DKS procedure is an effective way to minimize the risk of SVOTO, and there is little difference in the outcomes of the DKS procedure according to the surgical technique used.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.77-81
• /
• 1980

We present one case of 26-year-old male having saddle block combined with mitral valvular disease [NYHA Class IV] with auricular fibrillation. The most common cause of emboli is atrial fibrillation. The clinical manifestations of saddle emboli are relatively slow due to development of collateral circulation and large size of lumen of the aorta. The 5month duration of saddle emboli in this case led to severe atrophic changes, coldness, peripheral cyanosis on the both lower extremities, and flexion deformity on the knee and ankle joint of the left lower extremity. We planned staged operation for the saddle block and for mitral stenoinsufficiency and tricuspid insufficiency, because of poor general condition of the patient. The thromboembolectomy of aortic bifurcation was performed through the transabdominal approach without trial of Fogarthy catheter embolectomy, because of expectation of the secondary inflammatory changes of the vessel wall and thrombi which was 3 cm X 1 cm X 0.5 cm in size with irregular surfaced solid in consistency. 1 month later, after thromboembolectomy, mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty were performed, with successful early operative result. During operation organized thrombi [1 cm X 0.5 cm] in the left auricle was removed. We wonder if simple management using Fogarthy catheter might be possible to remove the thromboemboli instead of thromboembolectomy by aortotomy in this case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.442-451
• /
• 2022

Background: This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of fractional flow reserve (FFR) on clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Five online databases were searched for studies that (1) enrolled patients who underwent isolated CABG or CABG with aortic valve replacement and (2) demonstrated the effect of an FFR-guided strategy on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after surgery based on a randomized controlled trial or adjusted analysis. MACE included cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction (MI), and repeated revascularization. The primary outcomes were all MACE outcomes and a composite of all-cause death and MI, and the secondary outcomes were the individual MACE outcomes. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and the Egger test. Results: Six articles (3 randomized and 3 non-randomized studies: n=1,027) were selected. MACE data were extracted from 4 studies. The pooled analyses showed that the risk of MACE was not significantly different between patients who underwent FFR-guided CABG and those who underwent angiography-guided CABG (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.57-1.12). However, the risk of the composite of death or MI was significantly lower in patients undergoing FFR-guided CABG (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.94). The individual MACE outcomes were not significantly different between FFR-guided and angiography-guided CABG. Conclusion: FFR-guided CABG might be beneficial in terms of the composite outcome of death or MI compared with angiography-guided CABG although data are limited.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.11
• /
• pp.1049-1055
• /
• 1998

Background: Coronary artery bypass surgery is an important treatment for ischemic heart disease. Recently operative mortality and morbidity has decreased, however further improvement is necessary. Materials and methods: This study was designed to evaluate the risk of operative mortality and morbidity by retrospective method. From 1992 to 1997, eighty six patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. There were 61 males and 25 females aged 36~74 years(mean, 58.6). Fourteen patients(16%) had previous PTCA or stent insertion, 41 patients(48%) had unstable angina, and 45 patients(52%) had three vessel disease. Patients with low LV ejection fraction(<35%) were 7 cases and urgent or emergent operation were 10 cases. There were 6 cases of combined surgery which were mitral valve replacement(2 cases), aortic valve replacement(2 cases), ASD repair(1 case), and VSD repair(1 case). Average number of distal anastomosis was 3.5 per patient and average aortic cross clamp time was 115±38.3min. Preoperative risk factors were defined as follows: female, old age(>70 years), low body surface area(<1.5M2), PTCA or stent insertion history, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, hypertension, DM, COPD, urgent or emergent operation, left main disease, low LV ejection fraction(<35%), and combined surgery. Results: Operative mortality was 7cases(8%). As a postoperative morbidity, perioperative myocardial infarction was 6 cases, cerebrovascular accident 6 cases, reoperation for bleeding 5 cases, acute renal failure 4 cases, gastrointestinal complication 3 cases, and mediastinitis 3 cases. In the evaluation of operative risk factors, low body surface area, DM and low LV ejection fraction were found to be predictive risk factors of postoperative morbidity(p<0.05), and low ejection fraction was especially a risk factor of hospital mortality(p<0.05). Conclusions: In this study, low body surface area, DM and low LV ejection fraction were risk factors of postoperative morbidity and low ejection fraction was a risk factor of hospital mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.287-292
• /
• 1997

.Itrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias requiring treatment. About 60% of patients with mitral valvular disease have atrial fibrillation and one third of patients with atrial fibrillation may have the past history of thromboembolic events. Between April 1994 and June 1995, 20 patients with organic heart diseases combined with atrial fibrillation underwent open heart surgery including Cox-maze 111 procedure. There were 6 men and 14 women with an average age of 48 years (range, 31 to 66 years). Nineteen patients had valvular heart diseases and 1 ventricular septal defEct (VSD). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 36 months (:42 months) (range, 1 to 132 months). T e past medical history of thromboembolic events was positive in 7 patients (35%) and left atrial thrombus was detected in 9 patients (45%). The concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 5 patients, MVR in 4, MVd and tricuspid annuloplasty(TAP) in 4, mitral valvuloplasty(Mln) in 3, Mln and Tln in 1, MIW and coronary artery bypass surgery in 1, AVR in 1, and patch closure of VSD in 1. Mean aortic cross-clamping time was 175 minutes (range, 116 to 270 minutes). Atrial fibrillation recurred in 16 patients (80%) during the early postoperative period, but, recurrent atrial fibrillation was converted to regular rhythm at postoperative forty-first day in average. There was no early or late death in this series of 20 patients and postoperative complications were inappropriate tachycardia in 5 patients (25%), low cardiac output syndrome in 3 (15%), aggravated hemiplegic in 1, and acute renal failure in 1. Mean follow-up interval of patient was 16.5 months (range, 10.5 to 24 months) and all patients are currently in regular rhythm. Seventeen patients (85%) are in sinus rhythm and 3 (15%) in junctional rhythm. Right atrial contraction was detected in 95% of patients and left atrial contraction in 63% on postoperative transthoracic echocardiogram. The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation concomitant with open heart surgery is warranted in the recent clinical setting of improved myocardial protection technique, considering the untoward side-effects of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.10
• /
• pp.939-944
• /
• 1998

Background: The sugical results of the Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) for lone atrial fibrillation(AF) have proven to be exellent. However, those for AF associated with mitral valve(MV) disease have been reported to be a little inferior. Materials and methods: To assess the efficacy and safety of the CMP as a combined procedure with MV operation, we studied retrospectively our experiences. Between April 1994 and October 1997, we experienced 70 (23 males, 47 females) cases of CMP concomitantly with MV operation. Results: The etiologies of MV disease were rheumatic in 67 and degenerative in 3 cases. The mean duration of AF before sugery was 66$\pm$70 months. Fifteen patients had the past medical history of thromboembolic complications, and left atrial thrombi were identified at operation in 24 patients. Twelve cases were reoperations. Aortic cross clamp (ACC) time was mean 151$\pm$44 minutes, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was mean 246$\pm$65 minutes. Concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 19, MVR and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 14, MVR and tricupid annuloplasty (TAP) in 8, MVR with AV repair in 3, MV repair in 11, MVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 2, MVR and AVR and CABG in 1, redo-MVR in 10, redo-MVR and redo-AVR in 2 patients. The rate of hospital mortality was 1.4%(1/70). Perioperative recurrence of AF was seen in 44(62.9%), and atrial tachyarrhythmias in 10(14.3%), low cardiac output syndrome in 4(5.7%), postoperative bleeding that required mediastinal exploration in 4(5.7%) patients. Other complications were acute renal failure in 2, aggravation of preoperative hemiplegia in 1, and transient delirium in 1 patient. We followed up all the survivors for 16.4 months(3-44months) on an average. Sinus rhythm has been restored in 65(94.2%) patients. AF has been controlled by operation alone in 73.9% and operation plus medication in 20.3%. Two patients needed permanent pacemaker implantation; one with sick sinus syndrome, and the other with tachycardia- bradycardia syndrome. Only two patients remained in AF. We followed up our patients with transthoracic echocardiography to assess the atrial contractilities and other cardiac functions. Right atrial contractility could be demonstrated in 92% and left atrial contractility in 53%.We compared our non-redo cases with redo cases. Although the duration of AF was significantly longer in redo cases, there was no differences in ACC time, CPB time, postoperative bleeding amount and sinus conversion rate. Conclusions: In conclusion, the CMP concomitant with MV operation demonstrated a high sinus conversion rate under the acceptable operative risk even in case of reoperation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.578-584
• /
• 2004

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac anomaly and a long-term survival after surgical treatment has not been well established. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term surgical results after the repair of sinus Valsalva aneurysm. Material and Method: From April 1991 to November 2003, 35 patients (23 male, 12 female, mean age 35.2 years, range 11∼64) underwent operation for sinus of Valsalva aneurysm. Twenty six patients (74.3%) were in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III∼IV before surgery. In preoperative echocardiogram, mean EF was 63.32 $\pm$ 11.43% and nine patients (25.7%) were in AR grade III∼IV. Direct closure, patch closure of ruptured sinus Valsalva were performed in fourteen patients (46.7%), sixteen patients (53.3%) respectively. Aortic valve replacement, valvuloplasty were performed in five patients (14.3%), three patients (8.6%) respectively. Three patients (8.6%) underwent the Bentall procedure. Concomitant procedures were performed in 15 patients (42.9%), which were closure of VSD and ASD. Mean CPB time and ACC time were 116.79 $\pm$ 38.79 and 81.2 $\pm$ 28.97 minutes. Result: There was no operative mortality. One patient (2.9%) developed complete heart block that required a permanent pacemaker implantation. Three patients (8.6%) required reoperation due to a recurred rupture of the sinus Valsalva aneurysm and developed aortic insufficiency. Mean follow-up time was 58.55 $\pm$ 38.38 months. There was one late death. Actuarial 5 year freedom rate from reoperation was 87.1 $\pm$ 7%. Conclusion: Surgical treatment for sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is safe and has satisfactory long-term results.